Just A Rumour
by show.me.the.stars
Summary: How could he speak of it so lightly? Dying. NaruSaku [oneshot]


**Just A Rumour.**

**BY show.me.the.stars**

**Disclaimer : I'll get back to you on that one.**

_**How could he speak of it so lightly? Dying. NaruSaku. AU.**_

He was wearing a white night gown that all hospital patients were required to wear. His body was lost in it. His hair which had once been golden and thick in my fingers was grey and wispy; it'd given up long ago. His once tanned skin was the colour of trodden-in snow - the grey making him look older than he was. I noticed, sadly, that he was a lot thinner than he used to be. The pressure on my shoulder disappeared as Sasuke slipped quietly out of the door, closing Naruto and I in together. Neither of us said anything.

Both of us surveyed the other. His lips were dry and chapped. The last time I'd touched those lips they hand ended up running down the rest of my body, seemingly of their own accord. My hand rose to my mouth where it touched my own moist, soft lips. When was the last time his mouth crashed upon my own? He gave me his familiar wide smile that made me flinch. What's happened to you, Naruto?

"You look thinner." He scolded me. "You never were much of an eater though, dattebayo. Always going on those stupid diets of yours...at least you'd eat at Ichiraku's with Sasuke-teme and me, haha. I bet no one's forcing you to eat anything now." He smirked, "If I see you in Heaven anytime soon, I will honestly will go apemad on your ass. Don't do anything stupid Sakura-chan!"

How could he speak of it so lightly? _Dying_. My throat was tight and I had to fight back the tears welling up in my eyes. He was going to die. I didn't want him to die. Tell him not to die. Go on, save him! Please, he doesn't deserve to die. What did he ever do? Save him. He's just gonna sit there and let it take him! He's given up like his hair has! The withered old man that was lying in front of me. The withered old man of seventeen that was going to die. No, don't let him die. You _can't _let him die! Someone, _anyone_, save him! I blinked back tears.

It was his eyes that I had fallen in love with. They were still there; the stunning azure that had sunken into his grey, too-thin face and had a tired look about them, but they were still there; there were still traces of him in them. The old him. The happy, glittery person that he had once been was still there just masked behind a year and a half of grief.

"I'm glad you came." He smiled, with more effort than the last time. _So am I._ "Wasn't sure if you would after..." I closed my eyes and took a step towards his bed. _After I ran out on him last time._ "But I'm real happy you did. Prettiest face I've seen all year, dattebayo." He joked. I took a few more steps.

I opened my eyes to find him staring right at me, "Naruto, I'm truly sorry about running out on you and being a completely thoughtless bitch." I tried to smile back at him yet found myself crying silently instead, not able to even look at him. He reached out to grab my hand, then pulled me closer to him.

"Kneel down." He ordered but stopped and shook his head then smiled, "Get in." He murmured in a tone that was barely audible, pulling back the blanket to reveal more of his frail body. He was still clasping my hand. I slipped off my shoes, before doing what he said, tears still wetting my cheeks, my gaze still not meeting his.

Even being thin as we were and lying on our sides, there wasn't much room in the hospital bed. Our bodies were inches apart, but closer than they'd been for a thousand years. I wouldn't look at him. He squeezed my hand and said my name.

He was so sweet. He didn't deserve to die. He was supposed to live to be old and have children, then _grand_children. He should live to tell stories and joke around like he used to. Naruto, don't die. Please don't die. Not yet. Wait till you're old. Ripe in age. Like a banana, you don't take it when it's green. You're still green. What did you do for this? You're a nice person.

You always wait in line and **never** snap at the old woman taking forever to buy two boxes of Panadol. You fed the cat who lived next door and never cheated on anyone. So, why are you gonna die? Don't die. Don't let him die. You say he's not dying, just passing on though but I'm not going to be there. You'll have died from my life. Get better, Naruto. Don't die. Save him...

_Make him better!_

"Sakura-chan..." He murmured again. "Look at me, Sakura-chan." I risked a quick glance then found that I couldn't look away. Even now he was beautiful. Naruto's eyes were gazing straight into my own, searching, searching for something hidden deep inside of me. His left hand still firmly held my right hand. His right hand slowly made its way to my face and gingerly rested on my cheek. I used my own left hand to press his hand closer to my skin; he smiled then began to stroke my face with his thumb.

Naruto, don't die.

I opened my mouth to speak but Naruto put his lips on mine. "Ssshh!" He breathed when he pulled away, then kissed me again. I responded this time and let his tongue in when he licked my bottom lip. He was hungry. Hungry for me. If I closed my eyes tightly I could imagine that it was before. Before the cancer, before any of this happened, when it had just been me and Naruto. He stopped, pulled away. I left my eyes shut. It was easier that way.

He was still the fit and healthy person that I had first met. He still had the spiky blond hair (the golden tresses reached his neck - considered by him to be "almost trailing on the ground"). He still had those stunning azure eyes that were full of life and laughter. He still had a mouth that was always cracked up in his annoying wide grin that everyone fell in love with. Or devouring my lips.

"Naruto," I mumbled. I opened my eyes; he deserved to have me look him in the eye; I spoke louder; he deserved to hear me. "I love you. Always did, always will do."

Then I kissed him on the cheek, slid out of the bed and pulled my shoes on. He still hadn't said anything. I looked at him; he was watching the floor intently. "Bye then." I murmured, suddenly shy. I walked out of the room, letting my eyes drift back just once before the door slammed to see him smile slightly at the floor that he was still looking at.

They say that he died in his sleep, in no pain, it just took him. They say that he was smiling, just a little bit, but that the happiness was still evident on his face. There were some other rumours, about a note he scrawled on that same night to a girl. It basically said he loved her too. It said that though he might be gone, the wind would still blow and the sun would still shine and that she shouldn't give up her sunshine for anything or anyone. It said that she deserves to be truly happy and that she had to learn to love someone else. It might have been just a rumour though.

A/N : Well, there you have it. My first oneshot on FF! A little angsty, but everybody has those days, right? Haha, I was crying pretty hard by the time I'd finished writing this...but then again I am a pretty soft person. ::smiles::

As most authors on here, I'd love a review, so drop us (and by us I mean me) a line!

And oh yeah, thanks for reading!

- stars-san.


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